Free reeds
Concertina
A small hexagonal or square bellows-driven free-reed instrument with buttons on both ends. English, Anglo and duet systems are the main families; the bandoneon and Chemnitzer are related larger instruments. Covers the English (treble) and Anglo here; the bandoneon has its own entry.1
Part of the Free reeds family; that family's advice shows here too.
- Range
- G3–C7
- Sources
- 5 (4 independent)
Mics sources recommend
9 setups from 5 sources, 4 of them independent of any mic maker. Each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those are independent. Listed alphabetically: there is no ranking.
Studio
Distant
- Rode NT41 independent source
Close
- Neumann KM 841 independent source
- Neumann U 871 independent source
- Oktava MK-0121 independent source
- Shure SM811 independent source
- flat (boundary) condenser, 1 or 2 for stereo, 12-18 in out front1 independent source
- pair of mics about 9 in apart, both pointing forward (Alistair Anderson)1 independent source
The 5 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Distant Rode NT4stereo, some way back from the instrument
My favourite mic for the job is a Rode NT4, a stereo condenser that gives stereo without worrying about the ends.
2 - Close flat (boundary) condenser, 1 or 2 for stereo, 12-18 in out frontclose, front
For recording, place a flat condenser mic (or two for stereo) about 12-18 inches out front.
3 - Close 2 × Neumann KM 84 or Oktava MK-012pair, crossed, ~2 ft in front
My best results have come when I miked the instrument from the front with a pair of microphones, usually Neumann KM 84s or Oktava MK-012s. ... A pair of microphones, usually Neumann KM 84s or Oktava MK-012s, ideally a crossed pair a couple of feet away.
4 - Close 2 × pair of mics about 9 in apart, both pointing forward (Alistair Anderson)pair, spaced, close
Alistair Anderson favors a pair of mics spaced about 9 in apart, both pointing forward.
4 - Close Shure SM81 or Neumann U 87single mic, ~10 in in front of centre
A single condenser mic (usually an SM81 or U 87) about 10 in in front of the center of the instrument.
4
On stage
Clip-on
- Microvox concertina clip-on system1 independent source
- Neumann MCM KK 14 maker's advice1 source, 0 independent
- mini omni mics taped on the tone holes at each end, or on each wrist1 independent source
Close
- cardioid dynamic pointed at the middle of the instrument from about 8 in1 independent source
The 4 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Clip-on Microvox concertina clip-on systemclip-on, one per end
Two close mics which you attach one to each end of the concertina using Velcro; one lead runs to the DI box.
2 - Clip-on Neumann MCM KK 14clip-on, stage (FolkBaltica 2022)
Concertina was among the instruments fitted with Neumann clip mics in the festival's opening-concert test (paraphrase).
5 - Clip-on mini omni mics taped on the tone holes at each end, or on each wristclip-on, both ends (PA)
For PA, tape a mini omni mic onto the tone holes on each side (two mics total).
3 - Close Free reeds advice cardioid dynamic pointed at the middle of the instrument from about 8 inclose, live dance
Sax, clarinet, bagpipes, accordion, concertina: point a mic at their middle from about 8 inches away and they should sound ok.
6
Range
Standard 48-key English (treble) concertina: 'from G below middle C to C 3 octaves above middle C' (concertina FAQ); note names are my conversion. 56-key models add 8 keys at the top. (earlier: English treble concertina; the top is 'two octaves or more above the treble clef')
- English baritone: plays one full octave below the treble (FAQ); notes are my conversion, assuming the 48-key layout7
- English piccolo: 'very occasionally' found, one octave above the treble (FAQ); notes are my conversion7
- Anglo, 30 buttons: Wikipedia: at the 30-button stage 'the instrument was chromatic over two octaves'; 36-40 button layouts are common, a few have 55 keys. No note names given.8
The sound
Air from the bellows crosses reeds; the English and duet are unisonoric (a button gives the same note pulling or pushing), the Anglo is bisonoric (two notes per button).1
Where the sound goes
Sound leaves from both ends, and the ends move. Stamler adds that the melody may jump from one end to the other (Anglo and duet layouts put higher notes on the right and lower on the left). Kaufman: point a cardioid dynamic at the middle from about 8 in for live dance sound.2,4,1,6
Recording it
- A pair in front: Stamler's best results were a pair of KM 84s or MK-012s, ideally crossed a couple of feet away; Alistair Anderson favours two mics about 9 in apart, both pointing forward, which breaks the rule of three but gives no serious phase trouble. Hard panning makes the sound leap about; pan less.
- A single condenser (SM81 or U 87) about 10 in in front of the centre works for accompaniment, as enough sound leaks around the sides.
- The concertina FAQ's author likes a Rode NT4 stereo condenser "some way back" in the studio, so the moving ends do not matter, and says cheap mics defeat the timbre. Bartlett: one or two flat condensers about 12-18 in out front.4,2,3
On stage
One mic at the middle of the bellows is the usual and weak method; two mics, one per end, are better but feel limiting. Microvox sells a pair of small mics that stick on each end with Velcro and join into one belt box and DI. Bartlett: mini omnis taped to the tone-hole areas on each side, or on each wrist. Internal mics fitted by a player to an Anglo are said to work, but one maker (Colin Dipper) thought permanent internal mics would harm the sound. Consider no mic at all in small venues. Neumann's MCM KK 14 clip mic was tried on a concertina at the 2022 FolkBaltica festival (a manufacturer's test report, no detail on the concertina).2,3,5
Problems to watch
The moving ends change the level and pan position; a close pair makes the image dart; leakage and a singing player make a crossed pair at two feet difficult.4
About the range
The standard English (treble) concertina is similar to a violin: from the G below the treble clef (G3) to two octaves or more above the clef. The Anglo of about 20 keys is two rows pitched a fifth apart (C/G or G/D) and is not fully chromatic, with notes missing especially at the low end; no figure for a 30-key range was found in a page I opened. Baritone (one octave lower), bass (two lower) and piccolo (one higher) versions exist.1
Sources
- Concertina Library, Concertina systems (bandoneon section)
- Concertina FAQ (concertina.info): 7. Miking Concertinas
- ProSoundWeb: A Guide to Microphone Techniques for Studio Recording, page 5
- Recording Magazine: Tough-To-Record Instruments From A to Z
- Neumann / Production Partner 6/2022: Neumann clip microphones at the FolkBaltica
- Jeff Kaufman: Contra Dance Sound, Mic Placement
- Concertina FAQ: 3. Types of Concertina
- Wikipedia: Anglo concertina